Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-04-09

l ~ uhuSAtSEf uuu 10 bHOW Qef
every kindness until rescued" her.
ave may be in danger, children" said
Dan. arranging his weapons within easy
reach. The Mountain Lions camp is be-
low here, and he may come this way in
search-there they are!"
Three large canoes, filed with Indians,
| pushed out from among the shadows Of the
cottonwoods that just here fringed the
stream and came rapidly toward us.
"We must fight" said Diego Dan, calmly.
"Stay behind us, Dolores; they will fire in
| q moment"
They did so without effect. We fired;
| my bullet sent an Indian spirit to the happy
hunting ground, while Dams shot simply
broke both legs of the foremost brave, who
| tumbled overheard TO drown.
| The firing was now incessaut. The In
| dams were poor marksmen, while each
| volley from our boat decreased the number
| of our enemies. Dan would have put half
| the Hualapai tribe on clutches had they
| not come in closer where we could use our
revolvers, when they fell faster still. At
| shot range Dan shot to kill.
I'm gone!" Diego Dan remarked, in q
| matter of-fa tone, as he fell forward
| pierced by bullet; but don't surrender. y
Dolores had caught up his pistol and
was discharging it with deadly effect at the
nearest Indian boat.
See" she cried, there is the young
| chief | will be forced to marry if We are
! taken. Oh! he is aiming ut YOU
But Dolores saved me, for she fired first,
| and her bullet passed through his body.
| The last thing | remembered was seeing
| him fall head first into the water-and all
| was dark.
For days and days it was so, aud then |
| came to know myself CHASTITY, weak spec
| ter. captive in an Indian camp, The first
| object my weak eyes res: ed upon when
| awoke from that long, deathlike sleep was
u woman sitting beside my couch. AS rea-
son slowly asserted its reign, and my mind
| became clearer, l recognized Dolores; but
| l was too weak to speak to her.
Slowly the memory of the recent event.
| full past came back to me; but where was
| Diego Dan?
| The Indians with whom We had the bat
| tie were in pursuit of Dolores at the time
| After | fell they ceased firing; we were
| soon all transferred to their boats and taken
| before their chief. Dan was taken away
| with another branch of the tribe. 7 soon
| came to know the fate destined for me.
was to remain with the Indians in place of
| the young chief whom Dolores had snot.
and was to take Dolores for my wife-or
die. In case | chose the latter alternative
which | don't suppose the old chief
| thought probable-he would make Dolores
his own wife.
| became the chiefs son, under the name
| of Chain Lightning tat least, they gave me
| an Indian name which meant that, and he
sent Dolores to my tent. He seemed pleased
with me, and was glad to have my dear
| love near me, where l could watch over
| and protect her.
The news came a few days later that
Diego Dan had escaped. Fearing that he
would return with help to rescue Dolores
| and me the Mountain Lion decided to 90
out upon the Eastern Arizona plains, a long
way across the country. Dolores and de-
| termined 10 escape.
| We did not wait long. One dark night /
crept softly up behind IA sentinel, and, with
| q heavy blow from the flat side of my tom
| ahawk, knocked him silent. We reached
| the river, where the boats lay Mt anchor.
| quickly cut them all loose. except one into
which we stepped, and pushed off down
stream. She managed the oars equally as
we'll rs I, and our little boat made the
waters fairly bubble as We glided rapidly
| down the current. | had no fears of BEN :
| overtaken.
The night was intensely dark: vivid light
| ming and thunder indicated the approach
| OF a storm. 1t came soon--one of those ter
! rible rain storms known III Arizona III mid
summer-and the wind tossed our boat
| from wave to wave like dry leaf. Should
| it sink l knew We would both be drowned,
as l was unable to swim and could render
| Dolores no assistance.
| passed my arm around her and pressed
! her close to my breast; she was very calm
| and did not shrink from me. We had
| known each other only short time, it is
| true; but, under the circumstances, is it
al all strange that We loved each other? |
was quite n hero in her eyes-and in my
own. l knew not then that the Coyote had
been kindly caring for her until Diego Dan
| should come, in response to q message
| the chief had sent, to take her away-and
which was the cause of Dams present ex-
cursion. Such was the case, however. The
| Coyote did not wish to provoke a war wi n
the Mountain Lion, SO he and Dan decided
that l should be permitted to kidnap the
fair captive. My accidental discovery
| greatly aided their scheme, and all would
have ended well but for the meeting and
battle with the Mountain Lions warriors on
| the river. Dolores believed herself without
n friend in the wide world. a captive among
the Indians without hope of escape, when
| found and carried her away.
| She was, of course, very grateful TO me,
and to- might knew she loved me as a flash
of lightning revealed her face, sweet
| smile on her lips, as her head rested OH
my breast. kissed her then, for the first
time, and she only nestled closer TO me.
| Then II violent blast of wind struck our
| frail craft, and in an instant We We're in the
| water.
| ] struggled in vain to retain Dolores in
my arms. The strong waves wrested her
from my grasp, and felt myself sinking.
| Then il was that l saw it again as 1t swept
| past me-thc phantom came. | saw moth
ing more for many hours.
| An old Indian, whom / at once recog-
nized rs q great medicine man, was bend
ing over me when | awoke. | soon re-
membered ali-the storm, the cold bath in
! the river--and Dolores? Dead was
sure, and lying on the rivers bottom with
those cold, merciless waves dashing ovel
her. l could only wish ! could lie beside
| her.
and was to be held Il captive until he re-
| turned. l determined to escape. Will
the assistance of friendly Indian sentry
| succeeded in doing 50. secured q canoe
and returned safely to Cottonwood alone
As soon as my story was known a part!
was organized. and went up the river il
search of Diego Dan and Dolores, but re-
turned without having discovered any trace
| party, which led in person, went out Will
| the same result.
Nothing more could be done. My dream
was over; Dolores was dead; Dan wa
| dead, or he would have returned ere this
| 81 ali I aH tn